Council sees further shake-up as Old Leake and Wrangle councillor joins Independents

Daniel Jaines

Boston Borough Council is seeing further shake-up as an ‘unaligned’ councillor has thrown his towel in with the authority’s two independent councillors.

The council has confirmed this morning that it had received official notification that Coun Barrie Pierpoint has joined Richard and Alison Austin on the Independent Group on the Council.

Mr Pierpoint, whose ward covers Old Leake and Wrangle, told The Standard that his decision had followed an invitation by the Austins and conversatins with them both.

He said: “I felt they have good organisation the two of them and it felt natural to join them.”

He said he would ‘continue to look after his ward as he had for the past 18 months, but that joining the Independents also allowed him to join committees.

His move also puts the Independent Group ahead of Labour in number of seats on the council.

He said: “It’s people not politics for us.”

Mrs Austin, who acts as leader of the Independent Group, with husband Mr Austin and now Mr Piepoint as deputies, said: “This is the best way to enable Councillor Pierpoint to excercise his role as a councillor to the benefit of the borough of Boston as a whole.

“Councillor Pierpoint is a very talented man with a lot to offer and as a councillor on your own, not as a part of a group, you don’t have that same ability to influence and benefit the council and the people because you can’t be part of committees - and that’s important I think.”